


Breaking the Flames

by Fangirl_Shenanigans



Series: Swords, Magic, Sunshine a Cordyn + Child!Prompto AU [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Good!Drautos, Hurt!Ardyn, Kingsglaive!Ardyn, Kingsglaive!Balthier, Mentions of Balthier, Niflheim!Ghis, Prince!Ardyn, Semi-cross over, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 08:17:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13713675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Shenanigans/pseuds/Fangirl_Shenanigans
Summary: A mission gone very south leave Ardyn battered and broken, a panicked Cor trying to keep him alive as they wait for Drautos to retrieve them from Hammerhead. On the eve of Regis' coronation, his brother is found and the council see firsthand that they will not have an easy time with their new king.





	1. Flames down to Embers

**Author's Note:**

> In this AU Drautos is not a traitor and was not informed Ardyn had been assigned a mission with no extraction point. Ages are as follows: 
> 
> Ardyn = 17  
> Cor = 15   
> Regis = 20  
> Clarus = 23  
> Titus = 22  
> Cid = 25  
> Balthier = 32  
> Ghis = 48  
> Izunia = 26

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Final Fantasy XV or XII. This was written for personal enjoyment but if others enjoy it then I am pleased.**

* * *

 

 

If there was one thing that Titus Drautos, second-in-command of the Kingsglaive hated it was being called by the Citadel on his days off before eight in the morning. Very few people got away with doing so without some form of rebuttal. However, when he saw the caller ID read Clarus Amicitia he knew something big was up. Rolling onto his side to actually pick up the phone he groaned.

 

“This better be important Clarus.”

 

“Ardyn is missing. I’ve already checked with all the Glaives on duty as well as Captain Bunansa and none of them have seen him Titus. Ardyn hasn’t been seen in three days so we’ve ruled out him having one of his bouts of wanderlust. Do you know if he’s been deployed recently? Regis is getting worried.” Clarus was very frazzled but held it in check. Titus knew that he was the logical person to ask about Ardyn’s whereabouts as the one in charge of deploying the younger troops and he also knew full well that Ardyn had the sense to call Regis if the had been out wandering again. Pulling out his computer, he quickly checked all missions that had been set up and frowned. There was one listed under Ardyn that he didn’t remember sanctioning. It was highlighted as ‘Active’.

 

“I don’t remember assigning him anything this week due to the coronation but it looks like he was deployed Monday on a S-Class mission. Generally only King Mohrs or the Council can assign them and unfortunately they can do so without my having a say. I’ll see what the mission is and get back to you Clarus.”

 

“I’ll do what I can to calm Regis down. Apparently he’s convinced wherever he is that Ardyn is coming home in a body bag.”

 

Drautos frowned as they ended the call. Regis, like Ardyn had a fairly powerful gut reaction to things. Ardyn was one of their top Glaives, having a natural ability to determine his situation. For a boy of seventeen Ardyn was a genius when it came to solving puzzles and spotting gaps in tactics. Ardyn’s only equal in the regards of both foolhardiness and unharnessed intelligence was Cor of the Crownsguard. Titus had helped train them both; Cor being akin to a younger brother.

 

Why would the council deploy him with such secrecy? I don’t like this. It’s not the first time they’ve done it but usually Ardyn will tell me when my authority has been superseded. The King has to have sanctioned it as well. That is the only way one of the royal family would be deployed in such a manner.

 

Drautos double-tapped the mission and felt his blood run cold. It was now VERY obvious why it was so hush hush.

**_MISSION: INFILTRATE LEVIATHAN GARRISON_ **   
**_OBJECTIVE: DISCOVER WEAKNESSES IN NIFLHEIM FORCES_ **   
**_EXTRACTION PLAN: NONE_ **

 

Leviathan Garrison was situated too close to the main concentration of Niflheim’s forces in Lucis and they had sent ARDYN LUCIS CAELUM on a stealth mission with no extraction plan. They had sent Ardyn on a mission that was beyond his ken! If Ardyn was caught he would die or be tortured to such a point he’d shatter. Prince Ardyn may have been a gifted Glaive but he was STILL just a teenage boy! Their captain would NEVER send any of his younger men or women on a suicide mission. They didn’t have the experience for that level of pressure, least of all Ardyn who specialized in Field Healing.

 

Throwing on some clothes, he went to dial the Citadel when his phone rang again, echoing in his apartment. Quickly he picked up, trying to keep his emotions in check.

 

“This is Drautos.”

 

“Titus it’s Cor. H-how fast can you come to Hammerhead? It’s Ardyn…he’s not responding and I don’t trust the Citadel right now in regards to him.” Cor’s voice sounded shaky, the teen obviously out of his depth. Drautos cursed under his breath before switching gears, suddenly glad that everyone would be busy with the coronation preparations.

 

“Calm down Cor. Does he still have a pulse?”

 

“Yeah but…it’s very weak. Cid’s still trying to stop the bleeding.” Drautos knew if he could keep Cor talking, the teen would eventually calm down if he could get him focused on something.

 

“Okay. Can you tell me how badly he’s hurt?”

 

“Gimme that damn phone and keep pressure on his chest. Titus, it’s Cid. Would you kindly beat the living daylights out of the council for me? I’ve got Reggie’s little brother in my living room possibly dyin’ and I can’t get a single intelligent word out of him. I thought you promised missions like this one wouldn’t reach any of the underage Glaives.” Cid sounded very irritated and Drautos could hardly blame the man.

 

“I never cleared it. It came straight down from His Majesty and the Council. How bad is he? I’m already on my way to come get them. Why haven’t you called an ambulance?”

 

Drautos turned on the ignition to his car, putting the phone on speaker in the passenger seat. If it weren’t for the fact he cannot call Regis due to the coronation preparations he would already have informed him that his brother had been found. Actually better wait until Ardyn was in the hospital ward of the Citadel.

 

“Titus, we’re dealing with a highly distressed Ardyn. Much as I’d like to just call an ambulance, he’s too tightly wound. Already slammed his Armiger into the sofa when I fought his jacket free of his wounds,” Cid sighed, looking down sadly at the half delirious prince shuddering violently beneath Cor’s hands. “Ardyn’s gonna be lucky if he can walk properly ever again. Right hip and all the surroundin’ muscle is damaged so bad I can’t tell what all was done to it. Got a large starburst like injury to his chest by the left shoulder and several smaller gashes, cuts, bruises and burns. Those ones will heal gradually, that’s already started. It’s his mind that worries me. Titus, he’s a right mess. Citadel healers are the only chance he’s got with himself as the patient.”

 

Titus mentally damned the council. Captain Bunansa would never have agreed willingly to send one of the minors on a suicide mission which told him the man was not involved or the King himself had authorized this. Cor must have been the ‘man on the outside’ in name only if Ardyn didn’t have an extraction point set for him. Taking the turn a little sharper than intended he left the city proper, thankful that Hammerhead had a gas station. With how he was driving he’d have to fill up on site.

 

“My ETA is about fifteen minutes. Do what you can to keep him breathing and from losing anymore blood. Drautos out.”


	2. Captured! Nowhere to Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn recalls how he ended up in Leviathan Garrison as he tries to escape and get ahold of Cor. Things do not go according to plan at all when he meets Lieutenant Izunia and Commander Ghis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter acts as a recap of sorts as well as the introduction to how Ardyn gets so injured. Please refer to the tags on 'torture'. If this triggers you please, PLEASE do not say I forced you to read this because you'd be wrong.

_Ardyn was anxious as he waited for the details of his mission. The council said that neither Captain Bunansa nor Lieutenant Drautos would be unable to brief him personally and that they would do so in his stead as the mission was their prerogative. Ardyn knew they didn’t even ask nor inform Titus. Titus always briefed him even for simple fetch the item missions. This told him that it was something that Titus wouldn’t have assigned him. Part of him wondered if his father knew about the mission or not. Ardyn always found it difficult to gauge his father and was mostly raised by Citadel staff and Regis ever since Regis was old enough to tell his brother would be a handful._

_“Prince Ardyn, this mission is of vital importance. You will be infiltrating Leviathan Garrison. We have had reports that there is top secret information inside that could help bring the war to a swift end. You will sneak in under guise as a Niflheim soldier and gain access to their databanks. You will be the only deployed Glaive and will be partnered with Cor Leonis of the Crownsguard. Leonis will be your man on the outside. If there is trouble get back in contact with him.”_

_Cor didn’t like this mission but he knew better than to argue right now. King Mors had been acting strange lately and the fact he personally selected Cor for this mission was worrying. It was clear to Cor that the man was no more keen on this than Cor was: a mission of necessity then. The King’s only words had been “Keep my son alive.” Decidedly odd as Mors barely paid Ardyn any mind as long he could remember. It was a point of argument between Mors and Regis on more than one occasion, where Ardyn just seemed to be sadly resigned. Thus he'd been sent to the council room to get the details of the mission with Ardyn._

_“I understand Councilman Thadius. If this can cease the war from continuing further I will do all in my power to succeed.”_

_Ardyn was happy to be out of the council room, he detested the council. Cor followed his friend and lightly grabbed his uniformed wrist. Ardyn let his gaze move to Cor with a raised eyebrow._

_“Ardyn…you know something isn’t right.”_

_“Indeed but there is hardly anything I can do about it Cor. I may be a prince, but I am also a Glaive. It is therefore my duty to follow orders is it not? Aside from that...His Majesty has willed it.” Ardyn replied._

 

 

Ardyn damned himself for not listening to Cor as he ran down another hallway. The information from the computers memorized and the mainframe destroyed as a precaution. Ardyn could not afford to be caught and he was also terrified. The battlefield, healing the fallen was where he belonged not running through a Niflheim base trying to avoid being apprehended. Ardyn needed to find a empty space to contact Cor quickly. Finally he spotted a door that was closing, possibly in the attempt to lockdown the compound. Without thinking twice he barreled into the opening just as it closed only to feel the muzzle of a rifle press against his hip and open fire.

 

Ardyn screamed as the bullet ripped through, strong enough to break the bone and he swore he felt a burning hot sensation as the pain radiated all the way down to his knee as he fell to the ground and felt a heavy foot pin his shoulders so he was face down against the ground before two sets of arms hauled him to his feet. The man before him smirked darkly as he gripped the Glaive by the jaw.

 

“Well, well, looks like our intruder is none other than the spare prince. They’d send a boy to do a man’s job. Lucis must really be desperate.”

 

Ardyn kept silent, and wondered if this was what it felt like when you didn’t think you were going to get out of someplace alive. Even then, he refused to listen to the words that cut deep into his insecurities. He wasn’t a spare!

 

“What should we do with him Lieutenant? Seems a shame to kill him right off the bat.”

 

“Oh I have no plans of killing him. But I’m sure we can get information out of him if we play nice.” The man said and Ardyn felt his skin crawl before darkness claimed his vision.

 

When Ardyn regained awareness he realized he was bound upright, just his breeches, boots and gloves still on. Ardyn’s feet were supporting his weight, thick manacles keeping them securely in place and his arms bound behind him tightly with a hook latched to the bonds. This was a scenario he had heard of but was not yet trained to handle. Drautos said they wouldn’t be dealing with missions like this until they were at least 21. Their captain had agreed wholeheartedly. Ardyn’s heart dropped as it sank in: no one in the Kingsglaive knew about the mission and he likely wasn’t supposed to return from it. Dark laughter sounded and he felt the barrel of a gun pressed to his temple, instinctively biting the gag. Did they not want him to speak after all?

 

**Click!**

 

Ardyn flinched, whole body tense as the trigger was cocked several times in succession even though there was no sign of a bullet passing through him. Then he felt a very different pain. Screaming around the gag, he tried to draw away from the source of the pain now pulsing through his wounded hip. A blade was now embedded in the through and through bullet wound to his right hip, the gleaming weapon twisting slightly and pulling towards the juncture between hip and thigh before it’s wrenched free again.

 

“Izunia, getting started a little early aren’t we? You’ve not even asked the boy anything yet and you set in with the torture?”

 

“My apologies Commander Ghis. I admit I wanted to hear him scream. I do believe you were warned about my tendencies?” Izunia, a man of 6’2 with black hair to his waist and eyes just as dark replied.

 

“Be that as it may, I need the prince alive if I am to get anything useful out of him.”

 

Ghis was a fairly tall and well-built man with dark hair and deep grey eyes with a small beard on just the tip of his chin wearing full armor, a necessity to deal with the magic of Lucian soldiers. Ghis felt pity for this boy. Pity that Lucis viewed one of the royal family as naught but a tool to get information. Pity that this boy would likely die before he reached twenty, in this very building. Ghis knew that the boy would not speak, but he would not be so dishonorable as to not try.

 

“I will make this very simple for you Prince Ardyn. You will tell me what you were doing in my base, what information you have taken and about any other members of your little mission. Answer me and I will see that you at least keep your life intact.”

 

Ardyn glared, angered that the man before him thought he would betray himself and Lucis just to get free. That rankled almost as bad as being primarily ignored by his father and he felt the heat of his magic itching to break loose but something was blocking his access and he felt helpless but made sure he didn’t show it. Instead he spat the gag out and gave a lopsided grin, bravado he didn’t have playing onto his face. The same mask he wore when he had to deal with crowds (a face he would later wear nearly all the time to cover his true feelings).

 

“My dear Commander, whatever makes you think I am who you say I am? Surely I am just a Glaive in over his head.”

 

Ghis would give the boy this: he was good at acting. It was known to him that the second born prince of Lucis was not only a member of the Kingsglaive, but the only redhead in the family tree for several generations. That was not what gave the boy away, no. Even Izunia had only assumed at first. Ghis had seen the boy on the screens when he destroyed the central information computer. Only the royal family was known to wield the Royal Arms in their Armiger and the teen had used the Sword of the Wise, the blade belonging to his namesake to do the deed.

 

“I am afraid highness, that I have recorded proof of your identity. Only the royal family can wield those weapons. Your partiality to that blade was your undoing this night. Since you will not answer me, you leave me no choice. Deal with him Lieutenant.”

 

Ardyn’s facade fell, fear bubbling up in his chest as Izunia smiled viciously eyes now glowing an eerie golden hue.

 

“You’re all mine princess. Don’t worry, I may stop when you start talking.”

 

Ghis left the room without looking back even as nagging pity and regret brought bile to his throat. The commander had been told never to stay in the room when Izunia had a target. Ghis just hoped that the other man wouldn’t go too far. If they outright killed the boy…it could STILL incite a reckoning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Izunia do to poor defenseless Ardyn? Not even I know 100% for sure yet.
> 
> Whoever can guess why the garrison is named Leviathan correctly, I will give you guys shout-outs in chapter 3.

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to get worse before it gets better. If you have read the rest of the AU thus far you recall that Ardyn was changed by a horrific mission. Well, this is that mission.
> 
> If you have any requests for one-shots or such direct them to my tumblr: artistic-fangirl-shenanigans.tumblr.com


End file.
